Overcoming Seed Dormancy of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong

Abstract

The use of new methods may facilitate the production of seedlings for reforestation since the seed market is scarce and seedlings take time to be produced. The Earpod tree is a native species that can be used for the floristic recomposition of the biome and  with the possibility of using wood for commercial purposes. In this sense, the present work aimed to evaluate different methods of overcoming dormancy of the Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong. Seven treatments were performed with 5 replications: T0: control, T1: mechanical scarification with a rasp, T2: mechanical scarification with welding electric appliance, T3: mechanical scarification with cutting pliers, T4 y T5: chemical scarification with sodium hydroxide 30% for 25 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively, and T6: immersion in 100°C water for 7 minutes. The following variables were evaluated: percentage of emergence, emergence speed index (ESI), the height of seedlings, number of leaves per seedling, stem diameter, and length of a root system. The mechanical scarification method with cutting pliers was the most efficient, with an emergence percentage of 96% and plant emergence speed indexes of 9.79. The treatments, chemical scarification with sodium hydroxide 30% for 30 and 25 minutes, and control showed low efficiency in overcoming dormancy, with an emergence percentage of 2, 6, and 4% and emergence rates of 0.14, 0.37 and 0.24.